Tarlac State University Choir

TSU CHOIR PROFILE

The Tarlac State University Choir is the premiere and dynamic mixed choir of the university from a select of musically-talented students. The group was created under the President’s Committee on Culture and the Arts in the early 90’s to have a singing group performing during some university events. They are also tagged as the “Singing Ambassadors of Tarlac” by the Provincial Capitol of Tarlac and eventually becoming the best university choir group in the region. The choir sings folk, OPM, pop and classical music in different genre.

Radical changes were made when the group was handled by the current choirmaster, Aris G. Madrid, an alumnus of the group and a member of the Philippine Conductors and Directors Association. He shared new techniques for the choir to achieve a higher level in choral singing.

Since 2007, the choir started a winning streak becoming victorious in some regional and national competitions. The choir’s first winning moment is when they won 1st prize at the 3rd Aweng Paskua Christmas Choir Competition in Baguio City, Philippines on December 2007. The feat was repeated in December 2008. On the same year, the group manages to win 1st Prize in the regional choir competition for DC-SUC CIRPS III. This is an annual competition mandated by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges. They also win 1st Prize in 2009 and in 2010. During the 4th National PASUC (Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges) Choir Competition held at the Philippine Normal University in September 2008, the choir bested 9 other regional champions to win 1st Prize in this national competition.

After winning several competitions in the country, the group tried to be on a higher level. They joined the 1st CCP National Choir Competition (formerly 1st Philippine International Choir Competition.) The group received a Gold Diploma in Folk Category and Silver Diploma in Sacred Music Category by the international adjudicators from Germany, Lithuania, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The group continued joining high end competitions. They also become the regional champion for Central Luzon in 2009 NAMCYA Choir Competition and one of the 8 national finalists during the 2009 MBC National Choir Competition and Bronze in recently concludedBusan Korea Choral Festival & Competition 2010 - Mixed Category.